Quote from Marty Jacobs on August 5, 2024, 6:53 am

Recently, I published a "true crime card trick" on my blog based on the terrifying unsolved murders committed by a serial killer known as the Axeman of New Orleans. Cheerful, I know! However, as a sub-genre of card magic, I find the idea of card tricks themed with a murder mystery or true crime presentation very appealing. I've always enjoyed crime fiction, especially books written during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

The trick takes advantage of a little-known feature in Anglo-American decks: both the King of Diamonds and the Jack of Hearts hold an axe (well, technically, the Jack is wielding a halberd). I've used this to extend the age-old Ten-Twenty Force (the Count-Back Force). The presentation also attempts to justify the mathematical procedure used in the force by framing the named number as a house or apartment number.

The way I developed this trick is interesting. The presence of two axemen in the deck prompted me to uncover the intriguing story of the Axeman of New Orleans. This then led me to the Ten-Twenty Force because it suited the story. Read this blog post to learn more about this concept and the terrifying crimes of the Axeman:

Read Jazz, Murder and Magic! 🎷💀🎩

The effect is notable because the location of the "Man With the Axe" (either the KD or JH) is followed by the production of the remaining three Kings or Jacks. This construction helps to disguise the use of the multiple out. The routine uses basic sleight of hand (a false shuffle, a false cut and a few slip cuts). Here's the direct link to the tutorial:

Man With the Axe 🧔🪓

This trick is also an excellent example of Alex Elmlsey's "Automatic Producer" concept in action; see page 11 in The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley (Volume 1). Alex has provided us with a simple framework that you can apply to an act or routine to help analyse it for problems and to help you find solutions.

Part one of the framework asks us, "Is something of interest happening all the time?" Thanks to the morbid curiosity that the story of the Axeman generates, the answer to this question is a solid "Yes". Alex also asks us, "Are there times when you are doing something dull and perhaps lengthy (e.g., counting cards)?" For this reason, it is much better to get a spectator to do the dealing and counting during this routine because this enables you to continue to tell the gruesome tale of one of New Orleans most notorious killers.

Part two of the framework ensures that every member of your audience can appreciate the effect by asking various questions:

• Does the audience know what the effect is? In this case, it is a location or prediction effect followed by a production.
• Are you sure the facts are clearly seen and understood? The story of the hunt for the Axeman helps with this.
• Are you sure these facts are remembered at the climax? The production of the remaining Kings or Jacks ensures that the location is memorable or that the unusual prediction is reinforced and fully understood.

When I wrote up the trick, I also accidentally invented an alternative method that uses a single force card. I've fleshed this out, too, and added the explanation to another secret page on my blog:

The Axeman's Ghost 👻🪓

I'm confident you'll like these tricks if you enjoy bizarre magick. Even if you don't, the real-life story of the Axeman of New Orleans is still worth reading, especially if you enjoy true crime novels, podcasts, and films.

Yours Magically,

Marty